BAM: Hope this will be a lesson for them

Viktor Axelsen and Lee Zii Jia have found themselves in a mess after a private conversation between them was taken out of context and it has gathered some negative comments.

Lee was quoted as saying by Stadiumastro, “Of course we were preparing for the Thomas Cup, but there was also fear to travel there (Denmark). I speak with Axelsen often and he told me the situation there was dangerous, with around 300 new cases daily.”

Bambang Roedyanto, Event Committee member of Badminton Asia Confederation, was surprised with Axelsen’s comment and wrote on his Twitter, “Wow, Axelsen didn’t recommend players to play in Europe.”

Axelsen replied to this by saying that it was not true.

Lee Zii Jia also had to make some clarifications and said, “We share our thoughts and care for each other, because we want everyone to be safe and in good health. We have never gone so far to the point of discouraging one another from going or competing in events.” (Quote from NST)

Today, the coaching director of Badminton Association of Malaysia Wong Choong Hann said that he hoped that the social media fiasco would served as a lesson to both the players and that they would be more careful in the future.

Hann said. “It should not discourage them from speaking up but rather help them mature as world class players.”

He defended Axelsen and Lee and said that the decision to withdraw from the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals “was made by the respective countries and their national BAs. It wasn’t postponed because of one or two players.”